After several hiccups, major opposition parties in the country are finally forging a united front to charge at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Center in the general elections in 2024.
After a first in Patna, on June 23, the opposition has scheduled another for July 17-18 to plan their course of action against the BJP, alleging that the Central government has been using investigative agencies to corner them.
The first meeting was followed by speculations of a rift in the Opposition with Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) clashing over the Center’s ordinance.
The Ordinance passed by the Center overrules a Supreme Court order stating Delhi government is in charge of the postings of bureaucrats. It stated that the Lieutenant Governor is the final judge of the issue.
After days of deliberation, the Congress on Sunday voiced its support to the Aam Aadmi Party against the Center’s ordinance.
Following this, the AAP also announced that it will be attending the second meeting, shutting down reports of skipping it, over disagreements with Congress.
Sharad Pawar to join meet:
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that he has spoken with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and was informed that he would participate in the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru on July 18.
Responding to reports that Pawar would skip the Opposition meeting on Monday and take part in it on Tuesday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh rejected such insinuations, saying the official meeting of opposition parties is on Tuesday and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is only hosting a dinner on Monday.
Asked about Pawar, Kharge, while interacting with reporters, said he has spoken with Pawar earlier in the day.
“He said the (Maharashtra) Assembly is starting there today and he would like to be there (Mumbai). But he will be present for the meeting tomorrow. I called him up to say that it is important for him to come… He said he is coming on July 18 morning, there is no concern about that,” Kharge said.
“There is no problem, everyone is coming. Mamata ji is coming, read in the papers Kejriwal ji is coming, Nitish ji, Tejashwi ji, Stalin ji… In fact, more people are aligning with us than those present at the Patna meeting,” the Congress president said.
Top leaders of 26 opposition parties are expected to brainstorm in Bengaluru on Tuesday at the official conclave of Opposition parties where they are likely to start work on a common minimum programme and announce a joint agitational plan to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
